Chapter 56: Tailor-Made

“Sigh, in this world, lovers are always destined to be apart,” the Ear Emperor murmured, dabbing at eyes that had long since grown moist after reading the story posted by Zhou Ran’s studio. He felt a deep sense of regret for the love between the protagonists. Two people, clearly in love at first sight—what a beautiful thought! Yet, because of that damned war, the couple was separated. For various reasons, they never met again, not even until their dying days.

The Ear Emperor could easily imagine the woman waiting by the city gates every day, longing for her husband’s return. Perhaps, in the end, she understood in her heart that he was already gone, yet she kept going, clinging to that hope—a hope that gives life meaning.

The story had drawn him in so completely that he could only describe it as a tragic and sorrowful romance, filled with regret.

The moment Zhou Ran released this story, it drew in a frenzy of readers of all ages on social media once again.

This new post also reminded fans of Zhou Ran’s other identity: he was also a writer.

Many people sighed in admiration, saying that Zhou Ran was simply too competitive. It was one thing to be a great songwriter, another to be a talented singer, and on top of that, he was handsome—but now, he was also an exceptional storyteller? Wasn’t that a bit too much? Couldn’t he leave others a way out? Zhou Ran, please, stop being so outstanding!

Zhou Ran’s social media was watched by tens of thousands of fans at all times, many of whom worked in the film and television industry.

Wang Shi was one such fan, involved in publishing and film production.

Recently, Wang Shi had been driven to distraction by the search for a suitable script. This client was offering a lot of money, but their demands were equally high. The script needed to be set in ancient times—easily met, given the popularity of period dramas. But beyond that, the client wanted the protagonists to fall in love at first sight, with a tragic ending—ideally, the man would become a monk and the woman a nun.

These requirements gave Wang Shi a splitting headache. Where could he possibly find a story where the leads end up as a monk and a nun? Who even writes tragedies anymore? Happy endings are the norm these days!

Wang Shi was aimlessly scrolling through social media, hoping to stumble upon a suitable script, even though he knew the chances were slim.

He almost missed the time for Zhou Ran’s second teaser post, distracted as he was by his script hunt. Thankfully, he had set an alarm for the release.

The sound of his alarm brought Wang Shi out of his daze. He relaxed instantly—this meant his idol had posted a new teaser, and he could look forward to it as a pleasant diversion.

“Wait, why does this story feel so familiar?” Wang Shi immediately read Zhou Ran’s short story. He soon realized it was the background for a new song on Zhou Ran’s debut album.

Just from the background and the title, "Ephemeral Fireworks," it was obvious that the song was inspired by traditional Chinese aesthetics.

The thought that this was a Chinese-style song excited Wang Shi—he was a huge fan of Zhou Ran’s work in that genre. Ever since Zhou Ran’s first single, "A Thousand Times," Wang Shi had been hooked. The fusion of traditional style with modern music was exactly his taste.

What’s more, after "A Thousand Times," Zhou Ran had released "Jade Table: Lantern Festival Night" and "A Laugh Over the Vast Sea," both of which Wang Shi adored.

"Jade Table: Lantern Festival Night" was his favorite. In Wang Shi’s view, Zhou Ran captured a unique charm, especially with the line, “I sought him a thousand times; suddenly, I turned, and there he was, where the lights were dim.” This perfectly expressed the joy of rediscovered love and the lingering feeling of longing.

Initially, Wang Shi was just reading Zhou Ran’s post with anticipation, but as he read on, he was struck by how perfectly the story fit his needs. Especially the general—two lovers separated by war, doomed to lifelong regret.

The more Wang Shi read, the more familiar it felt: a general, a nun, a tragic ending. Where had he heard such requirements before?

“A nun? A nun? A nun!” He mulled it over for a long time before the realization struck him. “That's it! The client wanted a nun! The brief matches exactly what Zhou Ran wrote!”

With this revelation, Wang Shi leapt from his chair.

After rereading Zhou Ran’s story several times, Wang Shi grew ever more convinced that it was a perfect fit for the client’s every requirement.

Set in ancient times, ending in tragedy, with the female lead becoming a nun, and the lovers falling for each other at first sight. And, as the cherry on top, this was the background to his idol Zhou Ran’s new song. If Wang Shi could secure the rights to adapt this song’s story, it would be a dream come true—a chance to collaborate with his idol.

Working with Zhou Ran was a long-held dream for Wang Shi, and if this opportunity allowed him to fulfill it, he would be overjoyed.

Wang Shi was the type of person who acted the moment he made up his mind. Once he set a goal, he pursued it without hesitation.

While Wang Shi was busy contemplating how to approach Zhou Ran for a collaboration, Zhou Ran was already caught up in his own whirlwind.

“Oh dear, Sister Mi, have you seen that outfit of mine?” Zhou Ran was frantically searching through his wardrobe for the clothes he needed.

An hour earlier, he had received a message from Chef Huang, informing him that filming for the production would begin the next day or the day after. They wanted to seize the momentum while Zhou Ran’s popularity was surging, to complete the movie quickly and pave the way for promotional activities.

So Zhou Ran was now rummaging around, trying to decide what to pack for his first time on set. Not knowing what to bring, he was tempted to take everything, but realized that was unnecessary, which only made his preparations more frantic.